Wrigley Field East End Zone Shut Down for Illinois-Northwestern Game: Now This is a Problem?

The Big Ten Conference announced Friday that only the west end zone would be used for offense Saturday at Wrigley Field in Chicago for the Illinois-Northwestern football game due to safety concerns.  The padding covering the brick wall in right field behind the east end zone is only a few feet from the field.  Granted that player safety should always be a top priority, but they've been planning this game for over a year and NOW they decide that it might be an issue?

What about the fans who paid full price for the seats behind the east end zone and now will be on the opposite end of the field for the entire game when the offense is trying to score?  Do they get discounts or refunds?  No, I'm sure they won't.

Jon Greenberg of ESPN.com does a good job of summing up the mistakes made in the planning of this game.  It certainly will be a game to watch, although probably not for the reasons you would have thought.

Note that Army and Notre Dame will be playing in Yankee Stadium today.  None of these issues are happening there.  Of course, the new Yankee Stadium is only a year or two old.

ESPN:  One end zone for offense at Wrigley
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